The invention relates to a two-part socket unit for receiving and contacting a plug unit of a modular jack assembly of the type for fitting near an edge of a printed circuit board, comprising an approximately rectangular housing having a bottom and top wall to which two side walls and a front and rear wall connect, while at least the front wall is provided with an insertion aperture for the plug unit, with resilient contact fingers extending in the housing for contacting the plug unit, and with a panel to be fixed outside the housing in front of the front wall, provided with a window which in the fitted state connects to the insertion aperture and contains latching means for latching the plug unit on the socket unit.
A two-part socket unit of the above-mentioned type is known from U.S. Pat. Specification No. 4,497,526, in which the panel itself is again made up of two interconnecting parts, which is already a disadvantage from the fitting point of view.
In practice, it is advantageous in terms of assembly and costs to make relatively small printed circuit boards, for example for use in telephone or computer equipment, from a larger board. After the assembly of the various components, such as resistors, capacitors, ICs etc., the larger board is sawn, cut or broken into pieces. However, a problem occurs here in the case of a housing of a modular jack assembly of the present type to be fitted near the edge of a smaller board.
The housing of the known jack assembly when it is fitted projects beyond the edge of the smaller board in question, which to divide the larger board into pieces. On the is often desirable for the housing to project beyond of the board, for example to support it, for positioning, and/or for the accommodation thereof in an aperture of a chassis for aesthetic reasons.